| Unit name | From Structuralism to Post-structuralism |
|---|---|
| Unit code | SOCIM0029 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Tsilipakos |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one | |
| School/department | School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
The various forms and developments of structuralist thought, broadly conceived, constitute one of the most fruitful and influential intellectual traditions within the social sciences, one which is indispensable to contemporary students of sociology and politics. This unit will trace the development of this tradition chronologically, from its structuralist origins in Ferdinand de Saussure’s linguistics to contemporary forms of post-structuralist thought such as those of Michel Foucault and Judith Butler. The unit emphasises thematic coherence, detailed exposition and close logical organisation. Via this approach, students will grasp the step-wise transitions from each thinker to the next and the ways in which each new generation of scholars sought to apply and build upon but also critique and re-orientate the work of their predecessors. During this process, there will be revealed a wealth of connections within the entire tradition that will provide a context of mutual explication and elucidation between thinkers who are commonly thought of as being difficult to understand and who, otherwise, might remain obscure and inaccessible to students.
The aims of the unit are:
On successful completion of the unit, demonstrated via the unit assessment, students will be able to:
The unit will be taught through blended learning methods, including a mix of synchronous and asynchronous teaching activities
Formative assessment: 1000 word essay
The 1000 word formative essay will focus on provision of feedback from the unit owner on the extent to which students have demonstrated an ability to meet Learning Outcome 1 of the unit, an indispensable prerequisite for building towards the other learning outcomes, with suggestions for further improvement.
Summative assessment: 4000 word essay (100%)
The summative essay will allow for assessment of students' ability to meet the Learning Outcomes 1-4, detailed below, by requiring students to develop an in-depth essay over a length of 4000 words.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. SOCIM0029).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the Faculty workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. If you have self-certificated your absence from an
assessment, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (this is usually in the next assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any extenuating circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
